


Words of the Heart

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Fraxus [28]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Serious Injuries, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 20:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16709374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Freed had been planning on proposing for months, he just hadn't planned on the question slipping out without him even realising it whilst bleeding and fighting against unconsciousness.





	1. Chapter 1

_He was falling through inky black, his last impression of the world had been a painfully familiar voice shouting his name and panicked blue eyes before. Now the world was rushing back to him, terror gripping him as he realised that he had reappeared high above the ground, eyes widening as he watched his sword falling from suddenly numb fingers and there was nothing he could do as the ground rushed up to meet him apart from close his eyes in anticipation._

_Laxus…_

****

_It hurts…_

    That was the first thought that came to mind as Freed drifted towards awareness, everything feeling slow and sluggish in his mind as he was assaulted by a nonsensical rush of images and feeling that something was very wrong. Moaning softly, he tried to move, only to regret it a second later as fresh pain flared through the length of his body and for a moment everything faded to black. At least he thought it was only for a moment because nothing seemed to have changed as awareness seeped in once more, bringing with it more pain and he found himself having to bite his lip to stop himself from making a noise.

_What happened?_

     There were more flashes, but nothing that was giving him any useful information and with an irritated groan, he abandoned his attempts to remember, instead shifting his attention to working out where he was injured. The pain seemed to be everywhere, although the worst of it seemed to be centred in his head, which probably explained his inability to recall what had happened and the fact that his thoughts felt like they were moving through molasses.

   Fresh pain erupted in his head when something began to chime nearby. Normally it would probably have been quite a nice sound, but in that instant, it felt like someone had taken a red-hot poker and stuck it inside his head and he couldn’t hold back a whimper. _Please stop…_

The noise went on and on….

    Then it stopped and Freed sobbed with relief, his head still echoing with the sound, and an anguished sound escaped when the chiming restarted a minute later. Unable to ignore it any longer he shifted, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood as the movement exacerbated his pain, and when he finally managed to lift his head and coax his strangely reluctant eyes to open. It was to find the world painted in a strange mix of blurry colours that seemed to be moving around him in erratic patterns. His stomach rolled at the unpleasant sensation, and he found himself having to squeeze his eyes shut, hands clenching against the ground as he fought the urge to collapse and let the shadows that were crowding at the edge of his vision sweep over him once more.

    However, the insistent chiming was still there, and slowly he eased his eyes open once more, relieved to find that the world had settled somewhat although it was still blurry. Blinking he glanced around, vaguely able to make out rocks and what he was guessing were trees although he couldn’t tell for sure. The earlier feeling of wrongness returning tenfold, along with a certainty that this wasn’t where he was supposed to be, and his stomach flip-flopped at that realisation. Especially when it dawned on him that he couldn’t hear anyone else nearby, his heart plummeting as he was fairly sure that Laxus and the others had been there before…or had they? He growled, hating the fact that his mind wasn’t working how it was supposed to.

   There was a brief pause in the chiming noise again, but then it was back once more, and he turned his attention back to that. Squinting through blurry eyes towards the source of the sound, brows furrowing as he spotted the small communication lacrima that he had taken to carrying lying a short distance away and flashing red to indicate an urgent incoming call. He reached out hopefully, only to grimace as he realised that it was lying just out of reach and for a moment he was tempted to abandon his efforts as the thought of moving again was less than appealing. However, he knew that he was in a bad way and that he was alone, and that irritating lacrima might be his only way out of this. With a resigned sigh, he forced himself to move, tears prickling in his eyes as he managed to get himself onto hands and knees, although not without the world going dark for a moment, and then slowly, painfully slowly he was crawling forward, focusing on the noise to guide him as his vision was going in and out of focus. It was probably only minutes later, although it felt like hours before he finally felt it beneath his grasping fingers, relief flooding him as he managed to send a burst of magic into it.

“FREED!” The frantic shout went straight through his head, and there was no way he could hold back the pained cry that rose in response. Tears trickling down his cheeks as he slumped again, his arms refusing to hold him up anymore and he was barely aware of his cheek hitting the ground as he curled up in sheer agony from the abrupt movement.

_It hurts…It hurts…It hurts…_

    He had no idea how long he lay there, the pain coming and going in waves that left him gasping for breath and the world an increasingly dark blur around him. It was only the realisation that he could still hear the voice, softer than it had been, still calling his name that slowly let him focus once more. Soft whimpers escaping as he twisted towards the lacrima, eyes barely more than slits as he squinted at it, the image that was just as blurry as the rest of the world. But even though he couldn’t hear or see clearly, he knew that there was only one person who would be calling to him like that, but his voice didn’t want to work properly, and all he could manage was a broken whisper.

“Lax…”

_Help me…_

**

   Laxus had been ready to collapse with relief when his call finally got through, but that thought had immediately fizzled away at his first glimpse of the Rune mage, and he hadn’t been able to keep the panic out of his voice as he shouted his partner’s name.

“FREED!” He didn’t think he would ever forget the pained cry that had met his shout, or the sight of Freed collapsing with tears on his cheeks, the Dragon-slayer helpless to do anything but watch as the younger man hit the ground hard and then curled into a ball as he whimpered breathlessly. It felt like he had been punched in the gut and for a moment he could barely breathe. He had known that something had to be wrong because Freed always picked up on the first call, but this… Swallowing thickly and sternly forcing himself not to focus on the ugly trail of blood that had been trickling down the side of Freed’s face he tried to get his partner’s attention. “Freed! Freed? Can you hear me? Freed!” Each unanswered call only exacerbating his panic, and he could feel Ever and Bickslow’s gaze on him as they listened intently to his attempts.

   It felt years had passed before Freed finally began to unfurl, twisting towards the lacrima, still whimpering and Laxus didn’t want to think about what other wounds might be hidden out of sight to make his partner sound like that. Turquoise eyes were narrowed and squinting, and it didn’t take him long to realise that the Rune mage was having trouble focusing, his heart plummeting at that realisation. Head wounds were tricky at best, and this one didn’t look good at all. It was made worse by the fact that he knew Freed was already injured, and that they had no idea what injuries he had obtained travelling through the vortex and somehow he doubted that Freed was in any condition to tell them.

“Trace the lacrima,” he whispered to Evergreen, realising that Freed probably had no idea where he was right now and that they couldn’t afford to waste time asking him. Evergreen nodded, moving away and pulling out her own lacrima and activating the runes that Freed had embedded into each and every one, Bickslow moving to help her, leaving Laxus free to focus on Freed who was blinking at the lacrima with dawning recognition.

“Lax…” It was broken and weak, but at that moment he didn’t think Freed had ever sounded so beautiful and he closed his eyes. If Freed knew who he was, they could cope with anything else. It took him a moment to get himself under control, and he was alarmed to see Freed’s eyes were beginning to drift shut already.

“Don’t go to sleep!” He barked, louder than intended, promptly whispering apologies as Freed flinched at the noise, but he was relieved to see the Rune mage trying to obey his frantic order, blinking sluggishly at the lacrima. “We’re going to come for you, so you just have to hold on a little longer.” He was praying that was going to be true, but they had no idea where Freed had ended up. He could be on the far side of Fiore for all he knew, and his expression darkened as he glanced at Evergreen who was still frantically trying to locate their missing teammate.

“Lax…what hap…end?”

“You don’t remember?” The Dragon-slayer asked anxiously, not liking the broken tone or the confusion that met his question as Freed shifted his head in an approximation of a negative answer and he gritted his teeth as fresh concern blossomed. _Freed…_

_Laxus had been somewhat worried that facing the four of them would be enough to make the dark wizard warp away, but apparently, the challenge had excited their target. Instead, he’d found himself glad that they were all there as it was the only way to keep the pressure on as the man would warp in and out around them in at dizzying spells, and for a while, it had seemed to be working. He had even begun to hope that they would be able to finish the job sooner than expected, which would mean they would have at least a day to explore the nearby town. Hopefully losing Evergreen and Bickslow at some point as it felt like forever since they’d been able to do something with just the two of them._

_Of course, that was when it all went wrong. The mage had moved, leaping towards Bickslow who had automatically braced for the attack, dolls crying out in shrill tones as they rushed to protect him and yet a deep, unpleasant feeling of uneasiness made Laxus pause. It was only the minutest tensing of muscles that gave him away, and Laxus’s eyes widened a split second before the dark mage altered course, veering towards Freed who had moved in to cover Bickslow and to try and trap the mage. Leaving him too close to react to the change in target._

_“Freed!” Even before he shouted he knew that it was too late, there was no way that the Rune mage could avoid the attack and his teeth were bared in a snarl as a sharp cry rang out, momentarily freezing all of them. Laxus was the first to recover, bolting forward as Freed staggered forward a hand pressed against his side and doing little to hide the crimson that was now soaking into his jacket. He didn’t get there in time. Unable to do anything but watch as the swirling black vortex opened under his partner’s feet, understanding dawning on Freed’s face along with fear as he began to fall. “FREED!” He flung himself forward in one last-ditch attempt to stop him disappearing, his hands closing on empty air, leaving him with nothing but a panicked cry echoing in his ears. Freed…_

“I’ve got him!” Evergreen’s triumphant cry dragged him back to the present, and he immediately turned to look at her, praying that the vortex had spat him out close to them.

“Where?”

“About ten miles east of us…”

“Damn it,” Laxus cursed under his breath, glancing back at the lacrima in his hand, expression darkening as he saw Freed’s eyes threatening to close once more although the younger man seemed to be doing his best to keep them open. There was no way they could wait long enough for them all to reach him, and they still had to take care of the dark mage, because while he appeared to be still out cold, there was no way he was going to risk the man escaping. Not after seeing the state Freed was in. “I’m going ahead, take care of him,” he made no attempt to hide his anger as he tilted his head towards their prisoner, before adding in a slightly calmer voice. “And catch up with me as soon as you can.”

“Okay.”

“Freed, did you hear that?” Laxus demanded, his voice dropping into a soothing tone as Freed blinked at him in confusion. “I’m coming! So just stay awake for me, okay?” Travelling by lightning would get him to Freed’s side quicker than anything else, but there was no way he would be able to talk to him whilst in the air, and he wasn’t sure that he could trust Freed to stay awake, the soft hum that met his question doing little to reassure him and he frowned. “Promise me!”

“I pro…mise.” At any other time, Laxus would have taken him at his word, Freed had never once broken a promise to him, no matter what it cost him to keep it. But the turquoise eyes were threatening to close again, and he could see that Freed’s focus was fading and he growled under his breath before turning and thrusting the lacrima towards Bickslow who accepted it with a startled expression.

“Try and keep him talking.” _Please, don’t let him slip away from me_ , he didn’t need to say the rest because he saw Bickslow’s expression harden with understanding and determination as he pulled the lacrima closer. He didn’t wait for the Skeith mage to agree, trusting them to take care of his mate while he couldn’t as he sprang upwards, lighting striking the ground around him, and he caught a brief glance of the other's hair getting caught in the static and then he was gone.

_Freed, wait for me…_

****

     The pain was getting worse as time went on, new aches and pains adding to the general cacophony and Freed wanted nothing more than to give in to the temptation to sleep, hoping that the darkness would give him some respite. However, whenever he threatened to slip under he was jolted awake again by frantic voices in the lacrima loosely grasped in his hand, and he hadn’t yet been able to bring himself to hang up on them, even as he winced at the volume of their voices. He had no idea what they were talking to him about, every now and then he would focus for a minute, managing the odd whispered reply, but then he would be gone again, the words flowing past him without meaning. But it was keeping him awake, letting him keep his promise to Laxus even if all he wanted to do with sleep. He was fairly sure that he had tried to thank them for that at some point and that it had been brushed aside, and his brow furrowed as he tried to remember if he had or not. Maybe he had imagined that? Maybe he needed to say something to them …?

    His thoughts were slowing again, growing more sluggish by the moment and this time he couldn’t summon the energy to respond as he heard them shouting to him. _Please, I want to sleep_ … He almost made it, the world disappearing around him and the darkness rising to swallow him, but just as he was about to slip there was a tremendous rumble of thunder from above that had him groaning in protest. It was too loud. Still, it wasn’t enough to make him fight the pull of sleep. However, the bright flash that lit the world beyond his closed eyes and the frantic voice that rang out a moment later made him jolt awake, eyes creeping open against his will.

“Freed!” He knew that voice, he blinked, making out a blurry figure rushing towards him. “Oi! Freed don’t close your eyes.” The figure was crouching in front of him now, and he blinked, vision fading in and out for a moment before he was able to make out familiar scar-slashed eyes, and a weak smile tugged at his lips as he stretched out with trembling fingers, feeling warm skin beneath his touch as Laxus leaned closer.

“Lax…here?”

“Yeah I’m here,” Laxus was slightly out of breath from the rush to get here, lightning still flickering around his fingers as he fought to quell the panic that had engulfed him when he had landed to see Freed’s eyes were closed. Taking a deep breath, he reached up to trap the fingers brushing his cheek, frowning as he felt the tremors wracking them before adding softly. “Ever and Bickslow are on their way too.” He glanced across at the communication lacrima that had rolled off to the side, cursing under his breath as he took in the shadow in the centre of it, guessing that his magic had short-circuited it when he landed. The other two were going to be climbing the walls by the time they got here, and he grimaced at that thought, only to forget it a moment later as Freed’s head fell back against the ground, the younger man groaning at the impact but making no other protest

   He looked far worse than he had in the lacrima, the side of his clothes stained with blood although the Dragon-slayer couldn’t get a good look at the damage from his current position, and the dazed expression on Freed’s face only made the trail of blood down his face more worrying. The rest of his skin was littered with cuts and bruises, and Laxus growled at the sight, hesitating for a moment before settling himself into a more comfortable position so that he can ease Freed’s head into his lap. There was little else he can do right now, helplessness gnawing at him as the movement draws a soft whimper from his partner, fingers moving to comb through long green hair, mindful of any other injuries and he frowns when Freed blinks sluggishly at him before his eyes start to close once more.

“Hey.” Gently…ever so gently, because there is no way he can handle causing Freed any more pain at the moment, the movement earning him another slow blink from the Rune Mage. “Keep talking to me.”

“About….what?”

“Anything!” It comes out more desperately that he intended, startling both of them and Freed’s brow furrows in concern and confusion, and Laxus softens his voice although he knows that sounds just as desperate as before. “Hell you could even tell me about that book you were reading this morning, just keep talking to me.” If Freed had been himself, he would have smirked at that, and babbled on about all the boring details of the book that he could think of…but the younger man merely blinked at him, a strange expression on his face and the Dragon-slayer found himself shifting uneasily under the force of his gaze, wondering what was going on in his thoughts. “Freed?” He jolted when trembling fingers brushed against his face, the gesture clumsy and uncoordinated and it took him a moment to realise that Freed was trying to cup his cheek again, and gently he laid his hand on top of the Rune mage’s holding it in place. “What is it?”

“I want….to marry you someday…” The strange expression had given away to a soft smile that was somewhat ruined by the wince that followed as Freed tried to curl into him, but Laxus didn’t mind, his thoughts having got caught on what Freed had just said, his heart doing funny leaps in his chest. _He wants to marry me?_ Part of him knew that it might just be fear and confusion speaking, but it was something that they had discussed…loosely…and Laxus found himself unable to resist leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to the bloodied forehead. “Soon…” The faint whisper makes his heart jump again, and it takes him a moment longer than it should to realise that Freed’s hand had gone limp in his and that the turquoise eyes had finally slipped shut.

“F-Freed? Freed!”


	2. Chapter 2

_“I want…to marry you someday...”_

   Laxus had never been good at dealing with any of his teammates being in the infirmary, and it had always been worse when it was Freed, even before the younger man had wormed his way irreversibly between every barrier the Dragon-slayer had. But this time. This time it was unbearable. Not least because his mind was continually flicking between the memory of the Rune mage falling unconscious in his lap, his breath stuttering, slowing and then stopping…and the desperate, nearly unsuccessful fight to bring him back…

     If he hadn’t been a Lightning mage, and if Bickslow and Evergreen hadn’t pushed themselves to the limit and beyond to reach them when they did… Laxus shook his head, he didn’t want to think about that, he couldn’t afford to think like that. Yet at the same time it was marginally better than the other memory replaying through his mind because whenever he thought back to Freed’s beautiful, broken voice and the whispered sort-of proposal, he found himself unable to breathe. Unable to focus, and it only helped feed his growing terror that the younger man wouldn’t pull through, that Freed wouldn’t wake up so that he could answer his question, so that he could make that wish come true. _If he even remembers asking me…_

_“I want…to marry you someday...”_

   The words were echoing in his head again, the same strange, fluttering feeling that he’d felt the first time he’d heard those seven words rising in his chest, only this time it was tinged with sorrow as his gaze drifted to the still form on the bed. Freed looked just as pale, just as fragile as he had back then and Laxus found himself frequently staring at the slow rise and fall of his chest, fumbling for a pulse, even though he knew that the lacrimas that his partner was hooked up to would sound an alarm if anything happened. He knew that, and yet he had to check for himself, the hand that was currently curled around Freed’s shifting once more, his fingers feeling the reassuring sensation of Freed’s pulse beneath their searching tips.

 _He’s still here. He’s alive_ …

    It wasn’t as comforting as it should have been. It had already been four days since they’d managed to get Freed back to safety, and there was still no sign of the Rune mage returning to them if anything it felt like he was slipping away from them.

   The hospital if it could even be called that - it was more of a medical clinic, although Laxus would be forever grateful that the small town had even that much, were doing what they could. But it was understaffed and not used to dealing with wizards, or wounds that were as extensive as Freed’s. If it had been possible, Laxus would have taken the younger man home to the guild, knowing that Porlyusica and Wendy would be better equipped to care for him. In all honesty, he trusted them a lot more than the doctors here, even if they had done nothing to make him feel that way, but it wasn’t an option. The doctors had put it in stark terms when he had tried to suggest it - if they moved Freed now, he would die.

   Concussion…stab wound…broken ribs…broken wrist…contusions from a fall, a high fall, and Laxus could still feel the plummeting feeling in his stomach as when he’d realised that rather than depositing him on the ground, the dark mage had warped him into mid-air. He had nearly short-circuited the entire hospital when he had learnt that, and if Bickslow and Evergreen hadn’t already handed their prisoner across to the Rune Knights he might well have given into his fury. As it was, it was only them pointing out that Freed needed him that had stopped him from going after the mage, regardless of the trouble it would have caused. Even now the urge to go after him and make him feel the same pain that Freed had been forced to endure was overwhelmingly tempting. A low growl rumbling in his chest as he imagined how the younger man must’ve have felt, and he closed his eyes as he tried to reign in his temper. _Freed_ … If he had fallen any further, if he had landed even slightly different he might have been dead before they found him. They might not have found him, and even though they had, he could still die.

“You’re not allowed to die,” his voice sounded strange to his own ears, barely a whisper and somewhat hoarse after hours of saying nothing but the odd word or two to the nurse and doctor checking on Freed, and the argument with Bickslow and Evergreen that morning when he had chased them off to rest. They had tried to point out that they had already rested and that he was the only one who hadn’t taken a proper break since a quick trip back to the inn when Freed had been stabilised that first day. He’d only gone then because he’d needed to wash the younger man’s blood off his skin, the sight and smell of it making his stomach churn unpleasantly, and he had no intention of leaving again until he knew that Freed was out of danger, and preferably not until he had seen Freed open his eyes. “Do you hear me? You’re not allowed to die on me, not like this…not ever.” _Please…_ He knew that it was a foolish hope, but he found himself staring at the pale face, praying for something, even a slight twitch to show that the command had got through to the younger man, but Freed’s expression remained blank aside from the furrowed brow that showed that even now he was still in pain.

   Of course, he wasn’t going to make it that easy for him. Freed had never made things easy for him, and Laxus always found himself snorting in amusement when he heard the rest of the guild speaking as though the Rune mage followed him blindly. He could see where they were coming from with the events of the Battle of Fairy Tail, but looking back on it, a small part of him had always wondered if Freed had only gone along with it because he had seen it as the only way for Laxus to come back to himself. Especially with that small, accepting smile when they had parted ways, the lack of surprise in the turquoise eyes at the punishment or his decision to accept it. No, Freed wasn’t a follower… _he was everything_ … Laxus wanted to groan at that thought, but he couldn’t argue with it, because at some point Freed had become everything. Friend. Lover. Partner…he was his partner. His fingers tightened around Freed’s, tangling them together as though that would be enough to anchor him in place.

_Freed, please don’t leave me…_

****

   Laxus jerked awake as a high-pitched beeping rang through the room, cursing himself for falling asleep in the first place as he pushed himself up from where he had slumped against the bed. The bed that was now bathed in flickering red lights and Laxus felt his heart drop as his gaze darted to the lacrimas, quickly finding the one that was wailing an alert before his attention shot back to Freed. Terror leant him speed as he realised that the Rune mage must have moved at some point, the once pristine bandages around his side now spotted with red, meaning that he had managed to tear the stitches. However, it was the sound of Freed’s strained breathing - the same terrifying, broken sound that Laxus remembered from days before that had him on his feet and leaning over the Rune mage, barely aware of the sound of feet rushing towards their room.

“Freed!” He made no effort to hide his fear, his desperation. It always irritated him when Freed put him ahead of himself, but right now he wanted nothing more than for the Rune mage to listen to him, to hear his voice and do as he asked. “Don’t you dare do this! Not again…please…” His voice cracked when there was a pause in the strained breathing. “Please…” His cheeks were damp now, voice trembling as he felt his magic gathering, ready to fight to keep Freed with him if he had to. “I know I’ve probably done more to harm you, whether intentionally or unintentionally, than anyone else in the guild. I know that I’ve screwed up so many times that it’s a miracle that you’re still here…” There was a hand on his shoulder trying to pull him out of the way, but he resisted for a moment, one last broken plea slipping out before he allowed himself to be tugged away from Freed’s side. “But please….”

_Freed…._

**

   The Dragon-slayer was slumped on the floor outside of Freed’s room, his head buried between his knees as tremors wracked his body when Bickslow and Evergreen came running. Apparently, someone had the presence of mind to contact them after Laxus had been chased out of the room… because Laxus was barely able to remember that they were there as well, that they deserved to know what was happening, he couldn’t even bring himself to acknowledge their presence when Bickslow crouched down in front of him and rested a hand on his knee.

“Laxus?” Bickslow asked, softly, cautiously as though he was afraid that Laxus might shatter at any moment, and to be honest, Laxus felt like he might. Instead, he took a shuddering breath, vaguely aware of someone - Evergreen probably wrapping a blanket around his shoulders, her fingers brushing aside his shoulder it what was probably supposed to be a reassuring gesture, but he found himself flinching away. Freed, he wanted Freed. “…us, what happened?” He blinked, realising that Bickslow was still trying to talk to him and slowly, reluctantly he lifted his head to look at them, struggling to focus on them through the white noise that seemed to be filling his head since he had been pushed out of the room.

“…What?”

“What happened?” Evergreen asked softly, exchanging a worried look with Bickslow and he vaguely wondered just how much he had missed. But that thought was short-lived, his gaze wandering to the door, another tremor going through him as his sharp hearing picked up the frantic orders…another alarm joining the first…Freed’s strained breathing. As much as he wanted to try and focus on that sound, to keep listening so that he knew that Freed was still with him, he couldn’t bear to listen to the other sounds. He didn’t want to listen to the sound of the younger man slipping away from him. “Laxus...?”

“He…” Laxus tried to focus on them, almost able to imagine Freed scowling at him and scolding him for making them worry, but he choked at the mental image, and he shook his head helplessly before letting it fall back against his knees. “I…can’t…” He shuddered, feeling comforting hands on his shoulders and this time he didn’t flinch away. He couldn’t do this on his own. Not this time, and after a moment he managed to get his voice to work, although it came out as a choked noise that was a little too close to a whimper, but he lacked the energy to care at this point. “I don’t…want to lose him.” _I can’t lose him..._

“You’re not going to lose him,” Bickslow was quick to reassure him, but it lacked the confidence that the same reassurance had contained a couple of days ago. And Laxus glanced up in time to see that his attempt at a smile came out as little more than a grimace as he glanced at the door to Freed’s room. “He’s too stubborn to let something like this kill him, besides he knows you’re waiting.”

“He…asked me to marry him…”

   Silence met his confession. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to say those words aloud before, hell he hadn’t even meant to say it then. But the words had crept out on their own accord, and he ducked his head, Freed’s voice echoing in his mind once more. _‘I want…to marry you…someday._ ’ A choked laugh bubbled up as he wrapped his arms around his legs, drawing in on himself. “I don’t even know if he will remember it, or if he even meant it…”

“Of course he did!” Evergreen was the first to shake off her shock, the certainty in her voice making the Dragon-slayer jolt in surprise and glance up at her with wide eyes, and she crouched down in front of him, holding his gaze with a determined glint in her eyes. “When have you ever known Freed to say something he didn’t mean?”

“But…”

“She’s right,” Bickslow cut him off, voice soft, but his smile was more genuine this time. “You’ve seen him drunk, ill, hurt…barely able to see straight…and he’s never said something he didn’t mean.” Hell, they had seen him argue magical theory, and unravel a magical trap while nearly bleeding out on one job. “Besides…”

“Besides?”

“He’s been looking at rings for months now,” Bickslow admitted after a brief but silent conversation with Evergreen, as though they had been debating whether to tell him or not, and Laxus felt his stomach doing somersaults. _It hadn’t been a spur of the moment thing? Freed had been planning this? For months?_ He wanted to be happy about it, he did, but he could hear more activity from the room, and his stomach plummeted once more…it might not even matter. “He’s been a nightmare, nothing is ‘just right’,” Bickslow added with an exasperated sigh, but Laxus could hear the fondness and his lips quirked weakly as he imagined Freed dragging the other two around the shops. _Freed…_

“I…” _I don’t need any of that._ The words had been on the tip of his tongue, but he was cut off by the sound of the door open, and Laxus didn’t think he had ever moved so fast as he shot to his feet, all thoughts of their conversation fading as he searched the doctor’s face for any hints. The man looked exhausted and stressed, and Laxus was reminded once again that this went beyond anything they usually dealt with. However, when the man met his worried gaze, his exhausted expression gave way to a weary, but genuine smile.

“We’ve stabilised him…”

   Laxus didn’t hear anything after that, a tiny part of him was aware of Evergreen and Bickslow asking for more information behind him, but he only had eyes for Freed, and he was relieved when no one tried to stop him as he slipped back into the room. The nurse who was adjusting the drip smiled reassuringly at him, and he tried to return the gesture, not really caring if he was successful or not as he moved to reclaim his seat, eyes darting across his partner. The bandages had been changed, although he could still catch the lingering scent of Freed’s blood in the air, but more importantly, Freed’s chest was rising and falling steadily once more, and his expression seemed to have eased a little. For now, that was enough as he reached out to claim the Rune mage’s hand once more.

“You scared me…” He whispered, bringing Freed’s fingers up so that he could kiss them gently, a gesture that would normally have had the younger man blushing and scolding him, but now there was no response, and he sighed, cradling the hand against himself. “Freed…”

_You really scared me this time…_

****

   Thankfully that had been the last scare, and while Freed had yet to wake, the doctor had started to sound cautiously hopeful although he still refused to let them move the Rune Mage. Laxus had taken to zoning out all the medical talk, trusting Bickslow and Evergreen to make sure that he knew anything that he really needed to hear because the only things he cared about was that Freed was slowly recovering and that he still hadn’t woken up. It was the latter that consumed most of his waking and sleeping thoughts. He’d lost track of the number of times he’d woken from a nap, startled awake from a dream, believing that Freed was awake, only to find the Rune mage was still unconscious. And his waking moments were spent clinging to Freed’s hand and pleading with him to wake up, even if it was just for a second, and yet his words fell on deaf ears and Freed slept on, with only the colour seeping back into his cheeks and the slowly fading pained expression to tell him that things were improving.

“You’re not allowed to scold me about lie-ins ever again,” Laxus muttered as he gently ran his fingers through Freed’s hair, carefully detangling the strands as best as he could around the bandages. It was one thing he wouldn’t let anyone else do. Freed had always been ridiculously protective of his hair, but he loved the Dragon-slayer playing with it, and he hoped that the sensation would at least reassure the Rune mage that he was still here. That he was still waiting for him. “I mean it, not one complaint.” Not that Freed always grumbled about his early morning laziness, there were some mornings when all the younger man wanted to do was curl up with him and go back to sleep. Those were also the mornings that they were often woken by Bickslow’s dolls dumping water on their heads. “Freed, I…”

“L…s….”

   For a moment Laxus froze, barely daring to believe what he had heard, eyes darting to Freed’s face, but the turquoise eyes were still hidden from sight and defeat washed over him. He was imagining things now. Which was when Freed decided to prove him wrong, nose scrunching up and eyes twitching as he shifted restlessly on the bed, and the Dragon-slayer felt his breath catch.

“F-Freed?” His voice got a reaction this time, a soft noise that sounded halfway between a hum and a groan as Freed weakly tilted his head in his direction, pain flickering across his face at the movement and Laxus hastily caught his hand once more and squeezed gently. “Freed? I know you can hear me…you need to stay still, but can you open your eyes for me?” _Please_ … It was clear that the Rune mage was trying to obey, his face contorting and Laxus nearly laughed as he was fairly sure that he had caught a flicker of irritation in amongst the pain, and it was so Freed that he found himself having to blink back sudden tears. “Freed…”

   It was minutes later when he was finally rewarded with a fleeting glimpse of turquoise, and he smiled warmly, leaning in as Freed’s eyes closed again before struggling open once more, although he seemed unable to get them fully open. Still it was the most beautiful sight Laxus had ever seen, and he pressed a gentle kiss to the hand he was holding, before reaching out with his other hand to brush trembling fingers against a pale cheek, feeling the faintest pressure as Freed tried to lean into the touch, only to whimper as the movement jolted his injuries. “Hey, I said stay still,” he scolded without heat, forcing himself to pull his fingers away and remove temptation, instead reaching for the lacrima that would summon the doctor.

“La…s?” Freed looked slightly more focused now, although he was struggling to keep his eyes open, fingers curling weakly around Laxus’. “La…s…” Laxus could see the frustration in Freed’s eyes, the fear and he reached up to resume running his fingers through the green hair, knowing that it would help the younger man relax.

“It’s me,” Laxus reassured him, and he was rewarded with the tiniest quirk of Freed’s lips and a spark of relief in the drooping eyes. “You’re still recovering, so you need to calm down, all right?” A soft hum of acknowledgement met his question, and Laxus felt relief bubbling up in his chests. Freed understood …he was awake…he knew him… He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to calm himself down, knowing that he needed to hold himself together and when he felt a little calmer he turned back to Freed. “Do you…?” He trailed off as he realised that in the brief moment of quiet Freed had fallen asleep again, and it was hard to quell the panic that rose at the sight of Freed’s closed eyes. However, he forced himself to let him be and instead continued to run his fingers through Freed’s hair as he waited for the doctor, his unfinished question lingering.

_Do you remember what happened?_

_Do you remember what you asked me?_

**

   The next twenty-four hours were punctuated by brief awakenings, never lasting more than a couple of minutes, but it was enough to give them all hope. Freed recognised all of them, and there were little flashes here and there of his normal personality - most pronounced when despite the fact he had just moved and clearly caused himself some pain, he was more concerned with trying to ask if they were all okay and if the job had been completed. Which was reassuring in that it meant he remembered what had happened, but also infuriating, because even when they explained his injuries and the situation he seemed unable or unwilling to grasp just how close they’d been to losing him.

**

   Laxus sighed as he settled into his chair once more, nodding as Evergreen slipped out of the room with a small smile. He had finally given in to their nagging, going back to the inn for a few hours to catch some proper sleep and have a shower and he had to admit that he felt better for it, although he had worried incessantly about Freed while he was gone, even though he trusted Ever to watch over him. Still, it was a relief to be able to reach out and take Freed’s hand once more, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he watched Freed sleep. It was easier to bear now that he knew it was just natural sleep, and he was entertained by the various expressions that flickered across his partner’s face. A slight furrowing of his brow catching his attention a moment before Freed stirred with a sleepy grumble, trying to curl in on himself to go back to sleep, only to jolt as his body reminded him that wasn’t a good idea and Laxus winced sympathetically as Freed’s eyes shot open.

   It took the Rune mage a moment to get his bearings, blinking slowly as he rode out the pain and tried to clear the haze from his mind. Then his gaze shifted to Laxus, and the Dragon-slayer smiled at him, pleased to see that he looked more alert than he had previously, although he wished that it wasn’t accompanied by a lingering frown that showed he was still hurting.

“Hey…”

“Hey,” Freed whispered, wincing at how hoarse he sounded, glancing around hopefully and Laxus was already moving. Carefully easing the bed up so that Freed was more vertical before reaching for the cup of water waiting on the bedside table, scowling when Freed tried to take it himself even though his hands were trembling.

“Let me help.” Freed stared at him for a moment before nodding in agreement, too tired to argue for now and more focused on drinking as Laxus held the cup to his lips, quietly cautioning him to slow down a couple of times until Freed pulled away.

“Thank you…” He whispered, looking worn out again as he slumped back against the pillow. But he didn’t look like he was going back to sleep just yet as he tried to find a more comfortable position and Laxus settled back into his chair, reclaiming Freed’s hand, and rubbing a thumb softly over the back of it earning a small smile before Freed turned solemn. “How long has it been…?”

   It was the first time he had asked about that, and Laxus paused for a moment, not wanting to think about the time spent waiting for Freed to wake up, but he forced himself to reply, knowing that it would upset Freed if he didn’t.

“You’ve been here for a week…”

“A week?!”

“Freed,” Laxus growled, a spark of irritation rising before he could stop it. Freed had sounded horrified and almost disappointed in himself at the thought of being in the hospital for a week, and yet he had come so close…so, so close to… “You…” He didn’t want to think what his expression must’ve shown because Freed was frowning, his fingers curling around Laxus’s as he studied the Dragon-slayer with concern, his voice wavering slightly.

“Laxus?”

“You scared me,” Laxus admitted and Freed jolted at his words, a guilty expression on his face which darkened with pain as the Dragon-slayer glanced away as he added softly. “I thought I was going to lose you. I nearly did…”

“I’m sorry,” Freed whispered, looking miserable as he tried to lean forward to hug the Dragon-slayer, only to realise that he couldn’t when his body shrieked a protest at the attempt, a pained gasp escaping and Laxus looked up in alarm. He was about to scold Freed for trying to move again when he paused. Freed’s eyes were shadowed with pain and guilt and with a sigh he moved, leaning over so that he could ever so gently wrap his arms around Freed, feeling Freed clutching at his shirt with trembling fingers as he let his head come to rest against the Dragonslayer. “I’m sorry…I…”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Laxus shushed him gently, pulling back just enough to kiss his forehead. “There was no way you could have avoided that attack. Just…don’t do it again.” He couldn’t stop himself from adding that last bit, shuddering at the thought of going through all this again, even though he knew it was a risk they took as mages and he hesitated for a moment, worrying at his bottom lip. He still hadn’t tried to broach the topic of what Freed had asked him back then, both because the Rune mage had been in and out of sleep and because he was afraid of the answer, but the thought of going through this again and not knowing was too much to bear. “Freed?”

“Hmm…” Freed was clearly edging towards sleep again, his eyes heavy as he pulled away from Laxus and the Dragon-slayer let him go, watching him settle against the pillow once more as he contemplated whether it would be better to wait. But he had come this far.

“Do you remember what you said to me when I found you?” He asked in a rush, and he could see Freed blinking in confusion as he tried to make sense of the garbled question. “I told you to keep talking to me, and…” Laxus had been watching Freed intently, searching for any sign of understanding or confusion, and he cut himself off as the Rune mage gaped at him wide-eyed, colour seeping into his cheeks. _He remembers_ … “Freed?”

“That…” Freed swallowed thickly as he trailed off, the colour in his cheeks intensifying as he visibly gathered himself before asking. “That wasn’t a dream?” Laxus silently shook his head, not entirely sure what to make of the reaction. It was more lukewarm and more panicked than he had been expecting, especially after what Bickslow had told him. He was just gathering his courage to ask…well he wasn’t really sure what he was going to ask, but he was cut off before he could get a word out, as Freed let out a weak, spluttering laugh before sinking further into pillows and closing his eyes.

“Freed?”

“All my planning…everything…and I screwed it up,” Freed was muttering under his breath, more to himself than Laxus and yet the Dragon-slayer caught every word, a smile creeping across his lips as he listened to the rambling grumbles. Freed didn’t regret asking him, just how he had asked him. Realising that Freed was still muttering, repeating himself now, Laxus leant in again with a soft chuckle, the movement and noise drawing Freed’s attention and he opened his eyes a split second before Laxus’s lips covered his. It was a gentle kiss, caution in every second of it because there was no way the Dragon-slayer was going to risk hurting Freed, but the tenderness had Freed melting against him with a contented hum, his grumbles forgotten for the moment and Laxus smiled into the kiss before pulling back.

“It was perfect,” he whispered softly, turquoise eyes widening as Freed realised what he was saying, and he stole another quick kiss before adding warmly. “And my answer is yes. It was always going to be yes no matter how you asked me.” Freed was bright red now, but he was smiling, and his eyes glittered as he lurched forward with a muffled whimper to wrap his arms around Laxus. Ignoring the Dragon-slayer’s attempts to scold him and taking advantage of the fact that Laxus wouldn’t risk pushing him away in this state to rest his head against Laxus’s chest, sniffling slightly before peeking up at him with a hint of mischief in his smile.

“I guess I owe you a ring when we get home…”

 


End file.
